Saturday, 26 April 2008

Planned Sale of Historic Stadium Sparks Protests

The proposed sale of dilapidated Nyamagana stadium in Mwanza continues to raise public anger, with residents now planning to stage protests against city authorities' decision.

The Mwanza city council plans to sell the neglected stadium, regarded by many as a historical site on which many people were killed during the colonial era, to a private investor to build an up-market tourist hotel.

City director Wilson Kabwe said the municipality intended to dispose the stadium to a private investor at $20 million (Sh24 billion). But the residents here have vowed not to allow the sale, also opposed by former Lands, Housing and Settlement minister John Pombe Magufuli. "We have organised a demonstration to be staged tomorrow at 3pm from the stadium to the regional commissioner Dr James Msekela's office. I call for all Mwanza residents to come and rally against this decision by authorities.